5 books every young leader needs to read

“Knowledge is power,” they say, and this is a saying that definitely holds a lot of truth. If you want to be successful at something, you have to be well informed in all areas of that subject. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an academic subject you’d learn at school, either. You need a lot of knowledge to be successful at everyday things, such as being a good leader. The best way to obtain this knowledge is to read up all about it; so here are five of the best leadership books every young leader needs to read.

The Truth About Leadership by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

It is absolutely essential to read this book if you want to even attempt to be a good leader, in any aspect of life! Full of hints and tips this book will be your absolute bible as you try and navigate your way to being at the top of your game, leading others and inspiring them at the same time. Between them, the authors have over thirty years of experience in this field, so it’s well worth the read.

Tribes by Seth Godin

Tribes of people always need a leader, and that leader could be you! This book will tell you all about how to break away from the crowd, help you to get people to notice you and leave behind a reputation that will stick with people for a long time after you’re gone. Once you’ve had a read of this book (and make sure that you do!), try and find more of Seth Godin’s books, and his blog posts too! They’re full of great lessons and tips about being a successful leader.

Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Being a leader can be so draining. It takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, and patience. You won’t succeed straight away, you’ll come across plenty of hurdles, and it definitely won’t be easy! The book ‘Endurance’ is all about the ups and downs of intrepid explorer Edward Shackleton and the failures he overcame as he explored the South Pole – which, you guessed it, ended up being a success.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey

Over 15 million copies of this book have been sold across the world, which speaks volumes! This book is an absolute must read if you want to even attempt to become a successful leader, gaining the respect of others around you and leaving behind a legacy to be remembered. The lessons in this book have been described as ‘timeless,’ and we would also describe them as ‘faultless’ because if applied correctly, there’s no way you can fail!

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

This book is less of a ‘lesson’ book on being a leader and more of a self-help book on how to improve within yourself in order to begin to become a better leader. This book will tell you how to control your thoughts and, ultimately, your mind, in order to remove toxicity, stress and negative vibes from your life. A good leader must be free from heavy thoughts in order to lead others successfully.